Sacked judges to resume their positions on March 22

Islamabad, Mar. 18 (ANI): The Pakistan Government has notified that all sacked judges of the Supreme Court and the high courts, including Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, will resume their earlier positions from March 22. Addressing a press conference, Federal Law Secretary Agha Muhammad Rafique narrated two separate notifications from the Law and Justice Division announcing the move. The president of Pakistan is pleased to restore Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, the deposed CJP (chief justice of Pakistan), to the position he was holding immediately before November 3, 2007. He will assume office of CJP on March 22, after the retirement of CJP Abdul Hameed Dogar on March 21, the Daily Times quoted one notification, as saying. Another notification said other sacked judges would assume office with immediate effect. According to the notifications, the reinstated judges of the Supreme Court are: Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday, Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmed and Justice Chaudhry Ijaz Ahmad. The reinstated judges of the High Courts are: Justice Khawaja Muhammad Sharif, Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry and Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rehman, Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Maqbool Baqar, and Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan. However, the law secretary told reporters the sacked judges would not be administered a fresh oath. (ANI)